The deacon wears the dalmatic for the Weekend Masses. Also, when the deacon is the presider in Baptisms Etc. with no priest present, he is suppose to wear his dalmatic. Since we get temps in the 100s often from June-Oct. the deacon has been known to not wear his dalmatic-not wanting to pass out in the heat.

Our deacon wears a dalmatic for those Masses when he preaches - and on the great feasts. He bought all of them himself. Otherwise, he wears just the alb and stole. On a side note, a number of pastors in our diocese (in New England) forbid their deacons from wearing dalmatics because they regard it as “confusing” to the people to have someone “dressed like a priest” who really isn’t. (Actually, I think it’s more a case of trying to “keep deacons in their place.”) Our diocese also forbids the Roman collar to deacons, even when ministering.

We have no dalmatic in our vestment cupboard. When we had a transitional deacon for 6 months he borrowed a gold dalmatic from the cathedral parish and he’d wear it on solemn occasion. Haven’t seen hide nor hair of a deacon in the 5 years since.

Our deacon wears a dalmatic for those Masses when he preaches - and on the great feasts. He bought all of them himself. Otherwise, he wears just the alb and stole.** On a side note, a number of pastors in our diocese (in New England) forbid their deacons from wearing dalmatics** because they regard it as “confusing” to the people to have someone “dressed like a priest” who really isn’t. (Actually, I think it’s more a case of trying to “keep deacons in their place.”) Our diocese also forbids the Roman collar to deacons, even when ministering.

I don’t think they can do that…

[quote=RS 125.] The proper vestment of the Deacon is the dalmatic, to be worn over an alb and stole. In order that the beautiful tradition of the Church may be preserved, it is praiseworthy to refrain from exercising the option of omitting the dalmatic.
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One of our deacons has a green dalmatic and one other color. (I think it was a white one.) He always wears a dalmatic if it’s one he possesses. And recently I’ve seen one of our other deacons in a dalmatic. (But I don’t remember what color.)

The rest of our deacons (we have nine, two of them retired) don’t have dalmatics. Our parish doesn’t provide them so deacons have to provide their own.

Our deacon wears a dalmatic for those Masses when he preaches - and on the great feasts. He bought all of them himself. Otherwise, he wears just the alb and stole. On a side note, a number of pastors in our diocese (in New England) forbid their deacons from wearing dalmatics because they regard it as “confusing” to the people to have someone “dressed like a priest” who really isn’t. (Actually, I think it’s more a case of trying to “keep deacons in their place.”) Our diocese also forbids the Roman collar to deacons, even when ministering.

Some of that is prudent. For example, if someone saw a deacon in a Roman collar, they might assume that he was a priest (I would if I saw them, and I’m Catholic!) If the deacon is seen around his wife and they are kissing or hugging or stuff like that, someone that thinks that it is a priest might be scandalized.

I have been told that canonically, Deacons have the right to wear the Roman Collar and a Bishop’s directive does not trump Canon Law. Also, I don’t uunderstand why seminarians are wearing the Roman Collar? I don’t believe that they have the right to it. Can anyone cite a source that gives permission, besides simply a Bishop on his own accord?

Voted yes, but “Sometimes” would’ve been a better option because it seems that we don’t yet have all the colors/sufficient quantities for all our deacons (we’re really blessed to have 4 permanent deacons in the parish). The red ones were the first I’d seen, on a Pentecost a few years back, but I’ve also seen two different green ones and two white ones.

Our deacon wears a dalmatic for those Masses when he preaches - and on the great feasts. He bought all of them himself. Otherwise, he wears just the alb and stole. On a side note, a number of pastors in our diocese (in New England) forbid their deacons from wearing dalmatics because they regard it as “confusing” to the people to have someone “dressed like a priest” who really isn’t. (Actually, I think it’s more a case of trying to “keep deacons in their place.”) Our diocese also forbids the Roman collar to deacons, even when ministering.

No priest (or bishop for that matter) can forbid a deacon from wearing a dalmatic. Priests (just like bishops and deacons) are servants of the liturgy, not its master.

Universal law determines clerical attire - the dalmatic is the proper vesture for a deacon during the liturgy.

It is at the deacon’s discretion to NOT wear the dalmatic. Many choose to do this out of lesser solemnity (which is silly, the liturgy should be as solemn as possible) or out of necessity (perhaps neither the parish nor the deacon own a dalmatic).

At my parish we have dalmatics that match every chasuble, in fact we have two dalmatics in all the principal colors.

The most recent liturgical guidance about dalmatics comes from* Redemptionis Sacramentum* which tells deacons that they should NOT exercise the right of NOT wearing a dalmatic; in other words, wear the dalmatic.

A priest might say something like, “my parish isn’t spending any money on dalmatics,” but that would be the extent to his authority.

I personally take a dalmatic with me when I’m visiting a parish out of town or out of state that might not have one.

And, by the way, it is NOT expensive to have, say a dalmatic in the four liturgical colors. They cost about what a chasuble does – cheap ones around $100, fancy-schmancy ones over $1,000, but readily available in the $200 - $300 range.

A parish could buy one at a time, if need be. Anytime I need additional vestments (whether chasubles, dalmatics, copes, whatever) I simply put a notice in the bulletin that we are in need of sacred vestments, and would someone like to memorialize a loved one by donating the money to cover the cost of what is required.
The response is ALWAYS positive, people love to buy a vestment in honor of a spouse or parent or uncle Charlie or whatever. They like coming to Mass and see those vestments used that remind them of their loved ones. The only trouble I ever have with listing such a request is that many more people call then we have vestments to purchase.

PS: I typically invite the donors to the first Mass when we use the new vestments, and include their loved ones in the Mass intentions and/or Prayers of the Faithful.